Shots at school? Public attitudes about vaccination services in school-based health centers

Vaccination rates have dropped across the United States. Vaccination hesitancy plays a major role in this development, but access barriers are also a contributing factor. Access barriers are particularly prevalent among marginalized populations. School-based health centers (SBHCs) may be an important factor in reducing these barriers and thus increase vaccination rates. A national survey (N = 4196) fielded from January to April of 2022 to assess U.S. public opinion about seven specific vaccination services (diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (DTaP); polio; chickenpox; measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR); hepatitis; human papillomavirus (HPV); and COVID-19) in SBHCs. There was substantial support for the provision of these services ranging from 73.6% to 84.2% with HPV and COVID-19 receiving the least support and MMR receiving the most support. Consistent correlates of support across all vaccines included ideology, partisanship, trust in principals, rurality, and various common measures of vaccination hesitancy. Cumulatively, vaccination hesitancy measures had substantial effects on public attitudes. Vaccination services in SBHCs are broadly popular and may serve as a tool to increase vaccination rates by lowering take-up barriers. They may be particularly important for increasing take-up among traditionally marginalized populations and improving health equity.